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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. v M. T. HANCOCK.

HARNESSF No. 568,304. Patented Sept. 22,- 1896.

was? 4 1707626607: WM Hancock,

2Sheets-Sheet 2. M. T. HANCOCK.

(No Model.)

HARNESS. I

' Patented Sept. 22, 1896.

Jnvenfor ffl'anoot'z;

NITED STATEs ATENT FFICE.

MILTON T. HANCOCK, OF IVASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

HARNESS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 568,304,dateol'september 22, 1896.

Application filed January 9 1896.

Toall whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MILTON T. HANCOCK, a citizen of the United States,residing at lVashington city, District of Columbia, have invented newand useful Improvements in Devices for Attaching Horses to Vehicles, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to devices for attaching horses to vehicles, andhas forits objects to provide improved and simple means for making aperfectly safe and reliable connection between the vehicle and harnesswithout the employment of singletree or doubletree, traces, tugs, orshaft-loops; also to provide for rigidly connecting the shafts with theharness-saddle through the medium of a pin on one of said partsdetachably engaging a socket on the other part, whereby theharnesssaddle and girth will be prevented from turning under any strainthereon, and, further, to furnish an effective holdback without the useof breeching.

The invention consists in the features of construction and combinationof devices in a harness, as hereinafter described and claimed.

In the annexed drawings, illustrating the invention, Figure 1 is a frontview of my improved harness. Fig; 2 is a side view of the same. Fig. 3is an enlarged sectional view through one side of the harness-saddle.Fig. 4 is a detail perspective showing the parts comprised in one sideof the harness separated.

The harness may be of any suitable or desired construction except thatthe traces and usual breeching are omitted. It comprisesa harness-saddle1 and a breast strap or plate 2, with-suitable attachments andconnections, the construction and arrangement of which will be nowexplained. The side extensions of the saddle are preferably somewhatlengthened downwardly, as shown, and near their lower ends are box-loops3 for passage of an under girth-strap 4:, having buckles 5 on both ends.To the opposite sides of the saddle are firmly secured, at any suitablepoints and in any convenient manner, the upper depending girth-straps orbillets 6, the depending portions of which are provided with series ofeyelets forengagement with the buckles 5, after which the ends of saidbillets are thrust Serial No. 574,871. (No model.)

through the box-loops 3 on the saddle. Thus the lower ends of thesaddle, the under girth and the billets lap by each other, and both theunder girth and the billets are engaged in the box-loops on the saddleand make a rigid connection, as though the parts were in one continuouspiece.

There is firmly secured in each side extension of the saddle a rigidlaterally-projecting pin or stud 7, a portion of which, exterior to thesaddle, is provided with screw-threads 8, as shown. As a means forattaching the threaded pin or stud 7 rigidly, its inner end ispreferably constructed integral with a head or plate 9, embedded in thefilling of the harness-saddle pad 10 and firmly attached to its outercovering, through which covering and also through the billet 6 isextended a squared portion 11 of the rigid pin or stud. By thisconstruction it is impossible for the pin or stud 7 to turn or workloose.

In the rear ends of the breast-strap 2 are eyes or openings 12, of suchsize as to loosely and easily engage over the projecting portions of thepins or studs 7, that are secured to the saddle. A neck strap or straps13 may be provided to further assist in supporting the breast strap orplate.

Over the ends of the breast-strap 2 there is secured on each stud or pin7 a nut 14, which is securely riveted to a strap 15, having a buckle 16on its shorter end and a series of eyelets 17 in its opposite longerportion. The nut 14 may be secured to the strap 15 by rivets 18 orotherwise, and in its center it has a threaded portion 8 of the stud orpin 7, thereby securely attaching the breast-strap 2 and straps 15 atthe same time. WVhen the straps 15 are properly attached, their shorterportions will-preferably occupy a downward position, as shown, while thelonger portions will extend upward from the nuts.

The rigidly-attached harness-saddle pins or studs 7 are to be receivedin tubularsockets 20, projecting inwardly from the shafts or thills 21and rigidly secured thereto in any suitable or convenient manner.

After placing the horse in the shafts, the harness being alreadyadjusted, it is only necessary to insert the pins or studs 7 into theIOC sockets and then throw the straps 15 over the shafts and buckle thestrap ends tightly together. The rigid connection thus provided betweenthe shafts and harness-saddle will prevent any tendency to turning ortwisting of the saddle or girth, and in connection with the girthingdevices an effective holdback is afforded without requiring the use ofbreeching. The usual shaft tugs and loops or holddowns are alsodispensed with, as well as the traces, the rigid connections providedbetween the shafts and harness being all that is needed to preventrising of the shafts and to fulfil all the requirements, either inbackingor in a forward draft. The harness and connections are light,serviceable, and easily adjusted. It will notwear or hurt the horse, andit is perfectly safe, as there is but little liability to breakage ordisarrangement of parts. The cost of manufacture is reduced by reason ofthe saving effected through discarding considerable portions of aharness as ordinarily constructed, and necessary repairs will be slightand infrequent.

\Vhat I claim as my invention is 1. The combination of theharness-saddle having box-loops on the lower ends of its sideextensions, the under girth-strap extended through said loops andprovided with buckles on its ends above said loops, the billets securedto and depending from the saddle to engage said buckles and loops, andrigid connections between the harness-saddle and shafts, substantiallyas described.

2. The combination with the vehicle-shafts having tubular socketsrigidly secured-to and projecting inward therefrom, of a harnesssaddleor girth provided with rigidly-attached laterally-projecting pins orstuds adapted to engage in the sockets of the shafts, a breast straphaving its ends detachably connected with said pins, and strapsdetachably secured to said pins, over the ends of the breast-strap, andadapted to be buckled around the shafts, substantially as described.

The combination of the vehicle-shafts provided with rigidinward-projecting sockets, the barn ess-saddle having screw-threadedpins or studs rigidly attached to and projecting therefrom to engage thesockets on the shafts, a breast-strap engaged with said pins, nuts toengage said pins and secure the ends of the breast-strap, and strapssecured to and detachable with said nuts and adapted to be buckledaround the shafts to maintain engagement of the pins and sockets,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

M. T. HANCOCK.

\Vitnesses:

JAMEs L. NonRIs, Tnos. A. GREEN.

